Hey guys, I just picked up a 1950 Jeepster for $100! Sombodys old hot rod project that never was finished. It looks like sombody already had installed a small block chev at one time ( the old motor mount is still in it ) anyways all the of the body and top bows are there, its just missing some minor things. Anyways I was just looking for ideas on a 1950's style hot rod, does any body have any or any pics? Any help would be nice! I will post some pics later this week when I go pick it up!
Now that IS an unusual goodie! Kinda funky, kinda BeachBoys, kinda SurfWoodie, loads of fun. Enjoy! There is one still in a garage over on th East side of Houston in a neighboorhood by the Lawndale Cemetary, I tried numbers of times but no luck. I don't even care anymore.
There were some of those running SBCs back in the late 60s. Hundred bucks for a complete one sounds like a deal.
Well done, getting the Jeepster. Take a look at the one I have advertised here. It's nothing radical, more subtle. I like the color combo.
Kidz, BILLRINALDI on here has one hes been building for a while. give him a shout , Im sure he can sling some ideas your way. good luck on the build, Mike.
That's a nice acquisition, espescially if most of the parts are there. My deceased brother in law had one back in the early sixties and it was a fun vehicle. A little crude when compared to other rag tops, but a lot of personality and greater capability.
you'll have to be playing hot rod henry brown when you tool around in that thing! hot rod henry's got a hot rod heap he's got a stepped up motor in a knocked out jeep!
i have no knowledge to add...except i always thought they were cool ever since i saw my first one around 1959 when i was 6 years old.
I was kind of thinking of building it with out the hood or front fenders, SBC with a tri-power and lake pipes, chopping the window down a little, running an un-dropped 32 axle with split bones and of course some wide whites! I don't know, I'll have to get it home first and start mocking it up!
Keep the fenders PLEASE. Shouldn't be hard to find parts for it in Wa. I swear half of the Willys utilities made where shipped from Toledo, Oh. to the northwest. When I was out there years ago I stumbled upon them all the time, In fact the one in my albums is from the Seatle/Tacoma area.
It was just a thought! Like I said, I'll get the suspension mocked up and then post some pics and see what you guys think! Your opinions matter! I was just thinking that the Jeepster would make a cool 50's odd rod!!
I think you're on a good track with the straight axle and whitewalls... same thing I want to do with my 47 Jeep overland, straight axle hairpins and whitewalls!! Keep us posted on it!!
Hey Bud----- Congrats on the Jeepster score. I've been doing a Jeepster project for a while, if I can figure out how to do it I'll post some pictures of my Jeepster.If you've got questions about the car maybe I can supply some answers. Bill Rinaldi
I once owned a 48 Willys station wagon that I pulled out of a Texas lake. Not as cool a body style as the Jeepster, but the same car. I installed a 283 and cast iron Powerglide out of a 1960 Chevy. A 67 Camaro rear bolted right in (mine was a 2WD model). Drove that car for many many years and over 150K miles. Halfway through I swapped the tired 283 for an early 350. Kept the Powerglide, which never faltered. You will definitely enjoy building and driving this car.
Keep the fenders! Lower it 2 in. to keep if from rolling over. Put a racoon tail on the antenna. Slotted wheels. Good to go.
Hey KIDZ Got any pix of the car yet? What kind of shape is it in? As far as the stock front end goes,it can be lowered pretty easily by reverseing the spring eyes and dearching the spring. I've seen stock front ends with disc brakes, but never asked what they did. I've seen a Jeepster with no hood and no front fenders but it really looked to short and stubby, if your set on running a no fendered car, mock it up with a longer wheel-base in front to see if it might look better that way. LOL BILL RINALDI
I figure when doing up a Jeepster the closer you keep the outer look stock the better, maybe a little smoothing but not much. sadly, I see quite a few of them kind of 80's style.
I love those, they are so utilitarian. I agree with 49ratfink though, people do too much to those things. They are ugly as sin but have loads of potential. I'd keep all the body panels on it and fix what was bent or rusty. I have no idea what was under the front of those but I'd go independent of some kind up front with it low enough to look and drive nice lose the top and drive the wheels off it.
I bought one 15 years ago and am just now getting it on the road but this one came with a 55 Olds Rocket/w hydro tranny. What a ride!!!! squak squak... I painted it red/w black trim. I know of only one other in S Oregon I paid much more for mine but with no rust. You did good!!!
Bill I was thinking of making the wheel base a little longer in the front. Still planning on a set of spit bones and a 32 axle. I'm going to pick it tomorow afternoon. I keep going back and forth, either no hood with the fenders or run a hood and no fenders, I'll mock it up both ways and post some pics and see what you guys think!
Hey guys, I got the Jeepers Creepers home today! Sorry I did'nt get a chance to post pics! I've been doing some last minute things on my 39, there is a show tomorrow about a hour away, just makin some last minute checks before I head down! I will take some pics asap!! I was looking the thing over and it looks like sombody was atempting to make it a gasser!!???? They welded in pair of springs and different axle. I was pretty sure these jeepster had a single front spring like a ford but used some sort of independant front end. the guy I got it from had a 48 or 49 sitting there that was restored with that type of front end. Any who, the one I brought home sits pretty HIGH in the front, and with the SBC motor mount thats in it, my best geuss is an old gasser project that never was finished! but we will never know, we can only geuss! I still think a 50's style with split bones and wide whites!! I'll post some pics and you guys can shoot off your ideas!!
Sounds like gasser would be the way to go, actually. The body is too wide and long to look good done like a Model A or '32 Ford.
i can take you right now to a place where one sits that you can have for maybe 100-200 bucks...you will just have to walk with me past the other 300 20s-50s cars...that are all for sale..and very cheap...
Well here it is!!! Not too easy on the eyes, but I see potential! I have actually turned the project over to a friend of mine, this will be his first project! I will be involved, but the decisions will be his! He just joined the HAMB too so be easy on him, he's just a kid!!! Hopefully I can steer him in the right direction! From these pics you can see the Oh So Great custom work that is allready done!!!! Like the custom tail light buckets! Also you can see the front end that sombody added! they did okay, but it is a little rough. Also not in these pics is an old SBC mount for this width of frame. I will keep the project up to date and let you guys know how its going!
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